Path of Exile 2’s Abyssal Lich ascendancy is one of the most intriguing secret Witch options introduced in the Rise of the Abyssal content. It transforms the classic Lich playstyle into a POE 2 Currency hybrid of spellcaster, spirit stacker, and explosion-centric powerhouse — ideal for creative builds like the emerging Purple Volcano Abyssal Lich.

What Makes Abyssal Lich Special?

Before diving into the build, it’s worth understanding what the Abyssal Lich brings to the table:

Unlocking Abyssal Lich requires you first to ascend as a regular Lich, then collect Kulemak’s Invitation from Abyssal bosses to trigger a hidden ritual in the Well of Souls (Act II). After a series of tough fights with the Vessel of Kulemak, you gain access to this alternate ascendancy.

The Abyssal Lich replaces key Lich passives with new ones that shift focus from pure minion summoning to Umbral Souls and personal buffs.

Notable changes include Umbral Well (granting souls instead of skeletons), Unwilling Offering (offerings affect you instead of minions), and Steward of Kulemak (summons Abyssal Apparitions to mimic spells).

This ascendancy leans into spirit stacking, energy shield scaling, and explosive effects — perfect for builds that want big numbers, chaotic gameplay, and high DPS.

Why “Purple Volcano”?

While “Purple Volcano” isn’t an official term in PoE2 lexicon yet, community builds often use the name to describe setups that revolve around spirit stacking and large-scale AoE explosions, reminiscent of explosive volcanic activity. One Reddit thread from late January calls this approach a fun, high-damage build, noting its competitive damage and spirit stacking core.

Core Strategy

At its heart, the Purple Volcano Abyssal Lich builds around these pillars:

Spirit Stacking for AoE

The Abyssal Lich converts summoned skeletons into Umbral Souls, which stack damage and area buffs. The more spirits you have, the bigger and more devastating your “volcano” burst becomes. Some community variants don’t even need traditional spellcasters or crit wands — spirit stacking carries much of the damage.

Skill Choices

Volcano or Volcano-like AoE spells: Any high-AoE spell (like Ice Nova or Siege Cascade derivatives) becomes your ‘eruption’ — layering damage over large areas.

Despair with Impending Doom can be a powerful supporting mechanic for curse explosions if you want more chaos flavor.

Offerings replace minion support with personal buffs via the Abyssal Lich nodes.

Defensive Backbone

Energy Shield scaling is central: Abyssal Lich nodes help grow ES and make your character tanky even while exploding packs of monsters.

Prioritize gear that boosts ES, resistances, and spell damage, ensuring survivability in Abyssal Depths and tougher maps.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

High burst AoE potential with spirit stacks.

Not strictly dependent on crit or speed gear — more accessible gearing.

Strong endgame performance in Ritual/Expedition content.

Cons:

Clear speed sometimes slower than dedicated mappers.

Build complexity and gear optimization can be daunting for new players.

Final Thoughts

The Purple Volcano Abyssal Lich is a flavorful twist on the buy Path of Exile 2 Currency Abyssal Lich ascendancy: a build that turns your Witch into a walking eldritch eruption, powered by spirit stacks and explosive spells. Whether you’re mapping Rituals or diving deep into Abyssal events, this setup rewards creative play and clever gearing — and its surge of purple “volcanic” destruction definitely turns heads on the ladder.